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Although Craig Heisinger is happy with the makeup of his hockey team, the Manitoba Moose GM is working the phones to find a partner to make a move or two.

The American Hockey League's clear-day roster freeze is fast approaching (2 p.m. local time tomorrow) and the Moose are believed to be in the market for a puck-moving defenceman and possibly a forward to provide more secondary scoring.

The defenceman is the priority, while the forward would be a bonus and a safety valve, should Michel Ouellet not be successful in rehabbing the torn labrum in his shoulder.

Puck-moving defenceman don't exactly grow on trees and most teams in contention, especially those trying to remain among the elite, would like to add one.

So the challenge is to identify a team that is likely out of the AHL playoff picture and then hope it's NHL affiliate is out of the race as well or has an abundance of blue-liners already on the roster.

Thanks to the unexpected addition of Curtis Sanford, the Moose have a nice bargaining chip in goalie Karl Goehring -- though Goehring won't likely be moved within the North Division, if he's moved at all.

Finding a fellow minor league team that is interested in moving a player prior to the deadline is no simple task, but Heisinger has traditionally been active and had his share of success when it comes to adding talent late in the season.

Last season, Heisinger worked out a loan agreement with the Dallas Stars to have Nolan Baumgartner join the Moose for the stretch drive and back in 2004-05, Danny Groulx was acquired from the Grand Rapids Griffins. Both were deals that were beneficial to the Moose and Groulx is the type of player that would be a perfect fit again this season.

But since Groulx isn't available (the Rockford IceHogs are in the thick of things in the West Division), here are six players we'd pursue -- though we have no idea if they're available:

1) Rochester Americans D Rory Fitzpatrick -- The veteran signed with Rochester to play in his hometown, but after struggling through a season with a last-place team, perhaps he'd be rejuvenated by a chance to win a title. The man with 287 games on his NHL resume has four goals and 14 points in 44 games this season.

2) San Antonio Rampage D Sean Sullivan -- With seven goals and 24 points in 50 games this season, this Phoenix Coyotes prospect and former Boston University Terriers captain could benefit from a playoff run.

3) San Antonio Rampage LW Jeff Hoggan -- With his one-year deal in Phoenix set to expire on July 1, the Hope, B.C. product could audition for a contract with the Vancouver Canucks during the stretch drive.

4) Norfolk Admirals RW Brandon Bochenski -- The former UND Fighting Sioux sniper has been the best of a bad lot with the Admirals, leading the last-place team with 25 goals and 48 points in 61 games. He has 10 power play goals and five game-winners.

5) Norfolk Admirals D Mike Lundin -- After spending his entire rookie season in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning (he even played in the YoungStars game, the 24-year-old has been in the minors since Dec. 13 and has four goals and 22 points in 36 games with the Admirals.

6) Springfield Falcons D Taylor Chorney -- The Thunder Bay product has five goals and 19 points in 59 games during his rookie season. The former UND Fighting Sioux blue-liner probably isn't ready for the Stanley Cup playoffs, so might Edmonton Oilers GM Steve Tambellini look at the benefits of him joining the Moose for a Calder Cup run?